The GOAT of billiards is from the Philippines.
Last January, Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes got the Philippine sports community buzzing once again as he took home third place honors in the 2023 Derby City Classic One Pocket Tournament in Southern Indiana, USA. Beating much younger opponents on his way to the semifinals, the 68-year-old cue legend gave us a refresher as to why he is widely regarded as the best pool player to ever do it. To seal the deal, he defeated the Skyler Woodward in the battle for third encounter.
To piggyback on Reyes’ latest achievement, here are a few other things that should remind you why he is often referred to as the GOAT.
1999 World Pool Championship
Reyes’ road to the title in Cardiff, Wales was as tough as they come, and people stayed up way passed their bedtime to witness it all. In the knockout rounds he had to go through snooker legend Jimmy White, Hall of Famers Ralf Souquet of Germany, and fellow Filipino Django Bustamante. All three were at the top of their games at that time but they all bowed down to Efren. To finish off the job, the Magician took down Chang Hao-Ping of Chinese Taipei, 17-8.
1996 semifinals Pro Billiards Tour Legends of 9-Ball
This Efren Reyes classic featured a hill-hill ending, where the Filipino cue master bested American great Jim Rempe with a canon of a shot. The clutch gene of Reyes was on full display when he was pressed to forcefully pocket the seven-ball due to a weird angle. When he nailed it, the commentator went nuts screaming, “Oh my God, he hit it a million miles an hour! He hit a million miles an hour! I don’t know how he did that.”
2006 World Open 8-Ball Championship
In 1996, Rodney Morris denied Reyes of winning what would have been his second US Open Pool title in three years. 10 years later, they met again in the finale of the IPT World Open 8-Ball Championship, which offered a prize money of $500,000. The Magician outdueled the American cue artist to win the grand prize and avenge his loss a decade ago. Yep, GOATs are petty like that.
2005 8-Ball IPT King of The Hill
Efren Reyes was at his best when he won the $200,000 prize in this best-of-three, race-to-8 championship match vs Mike Sigel. In the first stanza, Reyes scorched his American foe, 8-0. The Magician looked invincible as he brought it home, 8-5.
“Z” shot at the 1995 Sands Regency Open Final
Arguably, the greatest shot in professional pool history was executed by Reyes when he sank the legendary “Z” shot to vanquish his fierce adversary Earl Strickland. It was a shot that has been viewed countless times online but every time you watch it, you’re still blown away by that two-rail kick that led the cue ball to thinly hit the seven into the right corner pocket. Even Strickland, as proud as he was, couldn’t help but concede to his rival’s phenomenal shot-making.
These are just a few of the Magician’s greatest hits. Of course, Efren has a lot more in the archive that will make you say that he really is the GOAT.